IBM pushes back on negative Watson Health stories

IBM Watson Health (NYSE:IBM) is pushing back against reports that its artificial intelligence powered products deliver less than promised, claiming that the reports are unfair and ignore its capabilities.

A number of news outlets, including The Wall Street Journal and STAT News, have recently published criticisms of IBM’s Watson Health offerings, claiming that its capabilities fall short of the company’s large promises.

“Unfortunately, some media reports, including an August 11th story published in The Wall Street Journal, distort and ignore facts when suggesting IBM has not made ‘enough’ progress on bringing the benefits of AI to healthcare. I feel it is imperative to set the record straight,” IBM Watson Health cognitive solutions senior VP Dr. John Kelly III wrote in a blog post for the company.

“We have always believed that the role of technology is to assist a doctor in delivering better care and patient outcomes. Therefore, the first question we asked ourselves was, ‘can Watson help oncologists make better decisions for their patients?’ Repeatedly, the answer has proven to be a resounding ‘yes,’ as demonstrated in both peer-reviewed research as well as regular feedback from those using these tools,” Kelly wrote.

Kelly said that across its offerings, IBM Watson Health has programs in use at 230 hospitals and health organizations globally, with 84,000 patients making use of the product during the first six months of the year so far.

Reports have claimed that patients have not benefited from the use of Watson’s programs at hospitals and healthcare centers, but Kelly argues that evidence speaks otherwise.

In response to the claims, Kelly noted a number of positives for the company, including a Mayo Clinic poster presentation showing improved enrollment in breast cancer trials following implementation of Watson for Clinical Trial Matching and training from Memorial Sloan Kettering on 13 different cancers, which he says represents 80% of the global cancer incidence and prevalence.

Kelly also noted an extended contract with the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, research showing that its Watson for Genomics found new actionable mutations in 32% of patients and high rates of concordance in breast cancer at Manipal Hospital’s multidisciplinary tumor board.

“IBM has never shied away from grand challenges, and we know they don’t happen overnight and are not easy. Whether it’s the creation of the world’s first commercial computer, putting man on the moon, or more recently developing the fastest and smartest supercomputer on the planet, we go all in,” Kelly said.

Kelly went on to state that the company’s work is “only getting started,” and that it stays steadfast in its goals.

Intuitive Surgical enjoyed a nearly two-decade monopoly in the robot-assisted surgery space. At DeviceTalks West, we'll delve into that history as longtime CEO Gary Guthart tells us how he got his start in medtech, how Intuitive came to enjoy such a commanding lead and what the future holds for medical robotics.

Apple Watch is now a part of UnitedHealthcare Motion, a wearable device program that encourages people to walk 12,000 steps a day. The Apple Watch will be available to eligible employer-sponsored program participants, allowing people to use their existing Apple Watch or shop for a new one. One payment option allows participants to start using… […]

Panasonic has launched its pin-type lithium-ion battery model, the CG-425A. The battery has a nominal voltage of 3.8V with a typical capacity of 32.0 mAh. It has a diameter of 4.7mm and weighs about 1g without tabs. It is small and slim cylindrically shaped and is able to be rapidly charged. The battery’s stainless steel… […]

NuVasive recently launched its Brigade Lateral inter body implant and instrumentation that is designed for lateral anterior lumbar inter body fusion (ALIF) spine surgery. The new spine procedure gives doctors access to the L5-S1 from a lateral position while retaining traditional ALIF characteristics. Brigade Lateral offers improved instrumentation, a new insertion method and an expanded… […]

By Ronald Boumans, Emergo Group British and European negotiators have reached a draft agreement concerning the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (EU). Get the full story here at the Emergo Group’s blog. The opinions expressed in this blog post are the author’s only and do not necessarily reflect those of MedicalDesignandOutsourcing.com… […]

Carbon is lowering it resin prices to expand its bulk discount program that was introduced in 2017. Resins EPX 82 (epoxy), EPU 41 (elastomeric polyurethane) and RPU 70 (rigid polyurethane) are now offered in bulk volumes at $50 per liter. The company suggests that it will increase the total addressable market for parts that are… […]

Terumo has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its CDI Blood Parameter Monitoring System 550, which adds real-time oxygen delivery monitoring to its 12 critical blood parameters. Oxygen delivery measurements show how much oxygen is being delivered to a patient during a cardiopulmonary bypass. The company suggests that monitoring oxygen delivery has shown to reduce acute… […]

Researchers from Purdue University have developed a smart drainage device that can help glaucoma patients. Glaucoma is a condition that damages the eye’s optic nerve and can cause vision loss and blindness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 3 million Americans are living with glaucoma. If there is early intervention, vision… […]

High-precision components and finished devices maker Cadence recently helped Valley Career and Technical Center (VCTC) in Fishersville, Va. to get its new computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM) program up and running to help train the new manufacturing workforce. Cadence (Staunton, Va.) funded a UR5 collaborative robot to be used in the lab’s robotics and automation work cell,… […]

Exostar announced that it has appointed Stuart Itkin as the company’s VP of product management. He will be responsible for all of the company’s strategic and tactical product management and product marketing activities. “I’ve admired Exostar for quite some time; the company plays a unique role in securing the A&D supply chain and enabling organizations… […]

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health (Lebanon, N.H.) has agreed to implement Royal Philips’ (NYSE: PHG) eICU program technology. The program aims to help reduce mortality, length of stay, and ventilation days while providing care to patients wherever they are located. Philips’ eICU is a tele-ICU program that will link specialists at the health system’s flagship hospital, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical… […]

Qosina and its Qosmedix division have appointed four new board members. Pat Alesia, Robert Beckman, Ari Hoffman and Bruce Williams have joined members of the existing board Stuart Herskovitz, Janis Herskovitz and Scott Herskovitz. “We are delighted to welcome these talented leaders to our board of directors. Their combined industry expertise, operation leadership and proven… […]